Milling machines are used for scarifying, removing, mixing, or reclaiming material from grounds, roadbeds, and similar surfaces. Milling machines, such as cold planers and rotary mixers, have a rotor enclosed within a chamber. The rotor includes a cylindrical drum and a number of cutting tools mounted on the cylindrical drum. When the machine is cutting, the rotor is lowered to a selected depth and the rotation drum causes the cutting tools to impact the ground surface and break it apart.
Typically, a cutting width of the rotor is defined as width of an outer surface of the rotor in contact with a ground surface. As the rotor is generally cylindrical in shape, the cutting width varies as the rotor is moved vertically relative to the ground surface. While the milling machine is operational, position of the rotor is an important parameter. For example, while performing a cutting operation on the ground surface, the operator needs to align the rotor with where a cut needs to begin and where the cut should conclude. Further, an operator seated on the machine should be made aware of a distance between the rotor and any obstacles in the route of the milling machine.
Normally, the machine includes graduated marks on the side plates of the rotor chamber for indicating a position of the rotor within the ground. However, the graduated marks may not be easy to view from an operator platform of the machine. Further, the graduated marks may get covered by dirt and dust during machine operation, making it difficult for the operator to view these graduated marks and accurately observe a length of a cutting edge of the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,121,146 describes a system provided for determining a volume of material milled, or a surface area milled, by a construction machine having a milling drum. The volume of material milled is determined as a function of a cross-sectional area of material to be milled in front of the milling drum and a distance traveled by the construction machine while actively milling. The cross-sectional area is determined in part by direct machine observation of one or more profile characteristics of a ground surface in front of the milling drum. The surface area milled is determined as a function of the width of the area to be milled in front of the milling drum and a distance traveled by the construction machine while actively milling.